The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1887-10-20

dead against us. 1t was only we'll into
daylight when the dhows were espied
coming out. We set signal of distress
and pointed the ships nose for the Gulf.
but we took good care not to 90 too
| fast
1.-The success of the evening previous
had emboldened the pirates. l don't
know what sort of looking over they
gave us from their mastheads, but they
were certainly deceived as TO our iden-
tity. They did not come dead at us on
the start, probably intending to give
us bit OF investigation, but no sooner
did the signal of distress become plain
to them than each dhow altered her
course and bore straight down. Did
not our signal call for help? Wa sit
not their duty to hasten to our aid?
There was but one other sail in sight,
and she was we'll up the Gulf. The
pirates had clear coast and hapless
victim, and they cracked on all sail.
They had. scarcely been seen before
the Yankee mate recognized the identi-
cal dhows of the day previous, and
after that we had no fears of making
mistake. Our whole crew entered into
the scheme with will. While we did
not beat to quarters, every gun was
made ready, ammunition passed up
and long before the dhows were up we
had every preparation made. Two
thirds OF the men were kept in shelter
behind the bulwarks, and the pirates
could see nothing to arouse suspicion.
THE pirasical crafts came along in a
bunch. They were Of about the same
size and burden, and each carried fully
forty men. When they had come down
within cannon shot they separated, hav-
ing probably planned to lay us aboard
stem and stern, but our Captain did not
propose to let it 60 that far. While he
could have no doubt of our ability to
clean out the scoundrelly gang. he re-
allied that hundred determined fell
lows dumped upon our decks with
pistols and cutlasses meant death and
wounds to some of our crew. Just as
the dhows separated our ports were
knocked open. the guns run out, and
next moment we were giving it to them
hot and heavy. The fellows could not
have been more surprised had the sea
suddenly opened to swallow them up.
Each of the dhows had a couple of can
non on deck, but there was no thought
of using them. The knowledge that
they had caught a Tartar seemed to
unnerve them, and the first dhow had
gone down before either of the other
two seemed to think of escape. Then
it was too late. Our shot went right
through them and left terrible gaps for
the sea to pour in, and in just seven
minutes by the watch from the firing of
the first gun we got the order to cease
firing.
"One dhow was at the bottom, the
second with her rail awash, and the
| third was on her beam end and slowly
turning turtle. The survivors of our
cannonade were floating about on
pieces of the wreckage, but by the time
we had lowered our boats and picked
up seven the rest had been pulled under
by the sharks, which came to the feast
in great school. Among those res
cued were the captains OF two Of the
dhows. Seven worse looking villains
than those we picked up were never
seen in or out of prison. They were q
defiant lot, too. Having recovered
from their shock of surprise, and COM
pretending that G trick had been played
on them, they fought us even as we
| rescued them from the sharks. No
matter how bad gang you get hold
of, on sea or land, some one Of them
will be ready to turn. nose to save his
neck. 1t was so in this case. Six of
| them refused to answer question con-
cerning the American brig, but the
seventh was willing to tell all if it
would save him from the yard-arm.
He said that every one of the crew had
been made away with, and that the
brig was then lying in the bay spoken
Of. They were intending to plunder.
dismantle and scuttle her, but had not
| yCt U6Euu tIlc WOkh VSplCu thC
Spitfre and come out to investigate her.
He gave the number of men aboard the
three dhows at 110
"In those days the Captain of one Of
her Majesty's vessels on foreign
station. or might say, on barbarous
coast, had things much his own way.
Breakfast was only over when our Cap
tain ordered whips at the yardarms, and
informed the six pirates that their time
had come Not man of them even
changed countenanee, while each ut
tered the word 'Kismet'-itis fate. Each
man went to his death as calmly as if it
was an everyday affair, and the in
former gazed upon the spectacle with
as little concern as you please. When
the necks of the six were well stretched
the bodies were lowered and sent to
sharks. Then we spruced up a bit.
headed in for the bay. and by mid-after-
noon were alongside the brig. She was
anchored within pistol shot of the shore.
4 n II